Method and apparatus for decorating confections



A. L. BAUSMAN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING CONFECTIONS July 14, 1925.

Filed Aug, 20, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS July 14, 1925.

A. L. BAUSMAN METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING CONFECTIONS 3 Sheet-Shet 2 Filed A112.

INVENTOR I MM ATTORNEYS July 14, 1925.

A. L. BAU SMAN- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DECORATING CONFECTIQNS Filed Aug. 20, 1921 3 Sheets' -Sheut 5 INVENTOR 7 ATTORNEYS EETHGD AND APPARATUS F013, IDECGRAICUIG EOHFEQHQHS.

Application filed August 29, 13.1222.

50 all whom it may com-em:

Be it known that l, Anonzo lnN'roN Bans- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Decorating Confections, or" which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a method of. and apparatus for, decorating confections and the like.

Decoration of confections, as heretofore practiced, generally has involved the depositing or" coating material upon the couiections or the working of their coating by dragging spoons, or other contacting strokers, therethrough, and variations in the design of the decorations have usually been effected by movement of the depositing members, or the contacting strokers, in various paths.

The method of this invention makes use of a flexible series of decorating members as one flexible decorating unit comprising a series of members having patterns or designs thereon and preferably, although not necessarily, the unit comprises a series of patterns connected into chain-like formation. The

method consists in applyingthe series of members to, the confections much in the same manner as the endless traction. belt of a tractor lays itselfover the obstructions and inequalities of the ground upon which it travels, "and, thecoatings or outer portions of the-confections having :been: rendered plastic in any: suitable manner, decorative designs are produced on i the confections fly the tracks left by the'patternimembers afterthey have walked mover; the plastic-coating. ,1 he latter: 1 adhering-i to'rrthe' pattern members; is drawn 1 outstoisome extent, when the pattern memberssarenremoved', forming but 1t,=.1s usually carr ed out by automatic raisedornamentations on the-confections.

According-to thisri metho'dfthe designs-of the decorationsproduced are based upon the pattern or design oftheidecorating memhers M and they are efiected :without l asubstantial- I decorating confectionsi'while theirouter portions are soft enough to 'jbe.WOIkable-,;may-1= dragging of the members f over the, confection although there-"may be some-slip be tween the confectionand the decorating members in the same-:sense as the feet-slip when withdrawing them-xfrom plastic soil; Although the design: ofldecoration is based T upon the pattern of-the decorating members,

3 it is not necessarily an exact or even close Serial 13o. $293,559.

reproduction thereof. Various degrees of:

departure from the design of the decorating members occur, according to the plasticity or the coating of the confection and in much the same manner as variations occur in foot- 59 prints left in soils of various consistencies.

The method, in another of its aspects, in-

volves the additional step of heating the j decorating members prior to their contact with the confections. The heating of the pattern members may be utilized to render the outer portion of the confections plastic and workable and it is desirable, even when j the confection is already in the desired plastic state, to heat the pattern memherssufficiently so as not to chill the coating when it contacts therewith.

The method, in another of its aspects, in-

teria1,b0th that sometimes supplied to the members and that used for coating theconfections,--as well as the heating of the atmosphere in the regions in which the coating as well as the decorating operations are are .75

accomplished. All these factors contribute to control the plasticity of the material at the time when the decorations are produced and variation of one or more of them can be made use of to vary the designs of decora-v tionsproducedfrom decorating members of any given design.

Themethod can be carried but by hand.

mechanism, and desirably, although not. necessarily} inil conjunction with a, confec- J tionery-boating "machine.

The method, while-:preferablyused fortalso pa ed for .ornamenting -ne -00ated .confections,g as ,for. =i'er'ample, .by- ,supply1ng coating materialsto the; decairatingr members-I. or by heating such ,memberseso. asito soften;

the outer-portion of the confection or by the use of both these schemes together.

, engagement b Thel invention also gas for an objegtfltlo provi e an apparatus or carrym on e method, characterized by a flexible, and preferably endless, series ofpattern memers mounted to travel in a loop path and extending into the path of the confections, together with means for efl'ecting a relative longitudinal movement between the confectionsand pattern members, preferably at a speed substantially equal to the linear speed of the pattern members in their loop path.

Further objects relate to the provision of means for heating the pattern members, for supplyin additional coating material thereto, and or guiding the members and the confections into proper engagement for the decorating o eration.

Another 0 ject is to proyide a machine for coating and decorating confections, having a suitable coating means and one or more decorating units of the type described, together with conveying means to carry the confections first to thecoating means and then to the decorating units and mechanism for moving the coated confections on the conveying means into correct position for said units.

Another ob]ect of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the decorating units with relation to the confection support in any one or more of the following directions,either toward and away from the latter, or transversely or longitudinally thereof.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description, taken with the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the. accompanying drawings, and will be particularly pointed .out in the annexed claims. 7

In the drawings,

Fig. '1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a confectionery coating machine, embodying an apparatus for carrying out my method of decoration;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are diagrammatical views,

illustrativeof successive steps'used in practicing the method; A

5 to '9, inclusive, are perspective Views of confections showingsome of the many st les of ornamentation that canbe produc' by themethody' Fig. 10 is an enlar sectional elevational view of the supportin and driving mechanism for the flexible ecorating units;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 1, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 12 IS a sectional plan view taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Figs. 13, 14, 15, and 16 are fragmentary lan views of a few of the various types of Eexible series of pattern members which mapy be employed in practicing the method; ig. 17 1s a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken similarly to Fig. .11 and show ing another form of supporting and driving mechanism for the flexible decorating units;

Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on the line 18-18 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatical view illustrative of the means for heating the decorating units;

Fig. 20 is ,an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View illustrative of a belt-tapping mechanism used, in connection with a belt such as is indicated in Fig. 11, to aline the confections properly for engagement with the decorating units; and

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary top plan view of Fig. 20.

Referring to thesedrawings, and particularly to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, in.carrying out the method a flexible unit, consisting of a series of decorating members conventionally indicated at a, is utilized. These flexible members may be variously constructed, as

for this purpose because their links may be made in a wide variety of shapes, a few of which are shown as examples in Figs. 13 to 16, inclusive. Aside from the more or less conventional types of chains shown in these figures, many others specially prepared for this purpose may be used, the links being bent up from wire, for example, into an endless variety of shapes. Flexible units, other than chains, may be employed in practicing the method, and the chains are preferred simply on account of the latitude that they afford for variations in designs.

In carrying out the method in the simplest manner, as by hand, the flexible unit a is held by thev operator with both hands so that a loop depends therefrom as indicated in Fig 2, and the loop and confections are moved longitudinally, the one relatively to the other. The operator may, for example, move this loop longitudinally into engagement with the confection I), while it rests stationary upon a support a, or the confections may be moved longitudinally as will later appear. The unit is then manipulated so that it will be progressively laid over the confection, or over that part thereof which is to be ornamented upon the relative longitudinal movement described. This manipulation consists essentially in moving the unit in its loop path and may be effected by raising one end of the loop of unit and at the same time lowering the other, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 to 4. The unit when thus manipulated will be laid upon the confection progressively, working from its point of engagement near one end thereof toward the opposite end, as will be apparent from Fig. 3. On continuation of this operation, the unit is lifted from the confection progressively, beginning at its point of engagement on the confection and working toward the opposite end, as indicated in Fig. 4. The action of laying the flexible unit upon the confection may be likened to the action of the endless traction belt of a tractor in laying itself over the irregularities of the ground upon which it travels. The unit is made to walk over the fresh coatin of the confections and leave its tracks. n thus laying the flexible unit a upon the confection, eachportion of the former engaged by the latter preferably remains in engagement therewith for a short interval, although of course the interval may be made very short and otherwise regulated as desired, according to the work to be accomplished. Also, the laying on of the flexible unit is preferably accomplished without any substantial dragging of the member longitudinally of the confection, which would cause a mark or decoration to be formed more in the manner of that eflected by contacting strokers, although, as above set forth, a limited amount of slip may occur.

Assuming that the coating of the confection I), or the outer portion thereof in event the confection b is not a coated one, is in a somewhat plastic condition, portions of this coating, or plastic substance, adhere to the.

patterns of flexible unit a and, as the latter is lifted from the confection, these adhering portions are drawn up with it until they break away therefrom, forming raised ornamentations upon the confection. The ornamentations produced are, in a broad sense,

based upon the design of the pattern members making up the unit a. That is, the de-" sign of-thesepatterns is the controlling factor. ofthe' ornamentation although it does not; actually follow that the ornamentations are exact or even'close reproductions of the atterns. -For.example, theunit a, shown 1n.Fig.16, will, if the openings in. itsilinks are small enough, produce the .straight plain described and similar ornamentations will 'be'eifected.

ridge dshown -in 6. On the other hand, the ornamentations e and 7 (Figs. 7 and 9) are much more nearly reproductions of the pattern of the'units by which they are produced, those shown at e and being formed by chains like those shown in Figs. and 14, respectively. Ornamentations like those shown at g and h are usually formed by chains, resembling thatv shown in Fig. 16 but having somewhat larger openings in its links.

The ornamentations formed, as above described, may be accentuated, and to some degree varied, by supplying to the flexible unit a additional coating material, or the additional coating material may be used alone to form ornamentations on confeclatter are in motion.

tions, the outer portions of which are no longer workable, or upon biscuits, cakes, and

the like, which I intend to be included by the term confections.

In thus decorating coated confections the control of every factor having any contributory effect on the plasticity of the coating of the confection is important. The temperature of the coating material and the surrounding atmosphere and the length of time elapsing between the coating and decorating operations all have an influence on the degree of plasticity of the coating of the confection at the time when it is decorated and variations of any one of these factors within limits will tend to vary the decorations produced. For these reasons, I prefer to heat' the flexible series of decorating patterns, It is desirable, at least, to heat the patterns sufliciently so as not to chill the coating and interfere with its workability. It is even possible to form the decorations solely by the use of a series of heated pattern members which will soften those outer portions of the confection engaged sufiiciently to allow the pattern members to leave their tracks. Genera lly, however, and especially with chocolate, too much heat, as well as too little heat, will tend to make the decorations inconspicuous. I

In the preceding description, the confection has been considered as stationary while the flexible unit a is manipulated by hand to effect the decorations. The latter are usually formed shortly after the confections have been coated and usually while the Also the flexible decorating unit a is preferably automatically moved. Thus, the confections b may be carried uppn the belt Zof a confectionery coating mac ine, as illustrated in Fig. 1-, and be engaged. by the unit a which is moved by automatic mechanism? in the direction of the arrows, and preferably at? a linear speed ;substantially equal to' that of belt-ll The unit awill be rolledupon the confections and caused to walk-lover them leavingtracks much as heretofore The apparatus for carrying out the method automatically will now be describedr In its simplest form, the apparatus consists merely of a supporting and driving means for moving one or more of the flexible units a in a loop path, together with a support for the confections b and means for producing a relative longitudinal movement between the first-named means and said support in order to feed the confections to the flexible decorating units. It is generally, however, desired to ornament the confections shortly after they have been coated and, preferably therefore, although not necessarily, the decorating apparatus is applied to, or incorpochines ma shown in ig. 1 is given merely by way of illustrative example of one suitable type.

The particular machine shown is of the general type shown in my prior U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,323,948, granted December 2, 1919. For the present purposes, a brief description of the main elements of the machine will suffice, reference being made to the above-named patent for a more complete disclosure. The confections b are fed into the casing A of the machine by a belt is and are automatically transferred to a pervlous coating belt, such as a wire belt Z, by which they are carried beneath a shower-pan m. Chocolate, or other coating material, maintained mixed and at proper temperature in a jacketed tank n, is supplied by a pump 0, through suitable pipe connections p to the shower-pan m and issues through slots 9 in the latter in a shower upon thebelt l and the confections I) carried thereby thus enveloping the latter. Excess coating falls through the belt Z into the tank n. Some of the excess coating is taken up by rolls r and applied to the bottoms of confections b in the known manner. The confections, after coating, are subjected to a blast of air issuing from a nozzle 8 from a fan i and the blast is regulable by a damper 8, whereby various de ees of the applied coating may be remove thus enabling the thickness of coating to be controlled. The confections are then carried along beneath the decorating apparatus and finally delivered upon the belt to, which usually carries them to the cold room. Suitable heating means, such as an electrical heating unit,,exemplified conventionally at y, are provided to control the temperature of the atmosphere in the region in which the coating is accomplished.

Usuall for each row of confections carried by It Z, there is provided a flexible decorating unit a and it is then desirable that the rows of confections on belt 1 be alined with their respective units. This alining may be accompllshed' in various ways and as an illustrative example of one suitableway, the following arrangement is used. The belt Z (see Fig. 11) is made in the fashion disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,009,670, granted November 21, 1911, to T. & D. Kihlgren. It includes a transverse series of portions 25, which are inclined to the horizontal and connected together by shoulders 26. By tapping the belt 1 along one side edge (the left as viewed in Fig. 11) the confections are caused to slide down the inclined portions and bring up against the shoulders 26. When thus positioned, they are in line with their respective decorating units a.

As an example of a means to effect the tapping of the belt 1, a lever 27 is pivoted- A (see Fi 20) with its at one end to casin 5 adjacent o belt .1. A

lower end dispose -member 28, mounted in casing A to slide horizontally, is pivotally connected at one end to lever 27 Near its other end, this member rests upon the face of a ratchetone end of lever 30 and a lug 32 on slide 28.,

The other end of the lever carries a pawl 33 to engage ratchet 29 and a spring 34 holds the pawl in engagement with the latter. The ratchet 29 is driven through bevel-gears 35 from one of the driven shafts 36 of the coating machine. Consequently, the lever 27 may be reciprocated and caused to periodically tap the edge of the belt 1 for the purpose described, the degree of tap imparted being variable by adjustment of screw 31.

Referring now particularly to the decorating apparatus, a simple means of supporting and driving the flexible decorating units a is shown in Figs. 17 and 18. These units,

which are preferably, although not necessarily, endless, are mounted in axially spaced relation on a drum 40, which is rotatably supported at one end in a bracket 41 and carries a sprocket 42, by means of which it may be driven from a similar sprocket (not shown) on one of the drivenshafts, as 2 (Fig. 1) of the coating machine. Bracket 41 has fixed thereto depending guide-rods 43 which are slidable vertically in a bracket 44, mounted on a side extension B of casing A screw 45, threaded into a lug on bracket 44 and disposed between the guiderods 43, is engageable with the under side of the bracket 41 and serves when turned in one direction to lift the bracket 41 and, when turned in the opposite direction, to permit the latter to be lowered by its weight. This vertical adjustment of the elements a relatively to belt] is desirable in that it the proximity ofthe lower end of the loops of the units a to the belt I to be varied, and such variation varies the extent of engagement of the unitswith the confections b as well as the duration of such engagement.

The bracket 44 is secured to member B by bolts 46 which extend through horizontal slots 47 in the bracket, and thus permit the latter, and elements an, to tudinally of the conveyor. This adjustment permits the flexible units a to be moved toward or away from the coating means and thus allows the units to act on the coated confections at various intervals after the time of coating, and thus after the coating is in various degrees of plasticity.

In addition to these adjustments, provision is made for moving the flexible units it permits be moved longieam transversely of the helt Z to position them properly in relation to the shoulders 26 of the belt. With wide confections the units a would need to be moved further away from these shoulders 26 than with narrow confections, to cause the ornamentation to be centrally applied in the case of each. The units aare spaced longitudinally on drum 40 by a series of rings 48, arranged in pairs with one unit a between each pair. These rings are held frictionally on the drum 40 and may (ill - tween be driven to the right or left to efiect the adjustment described, or other means may be provided for this purpose, as will later appear.

many ways of accomplishing this function,

the following arrangement is disclosed. The drum 40 is made hollow and stationarily supported within its interior is an electrical heating unit 49. This heating unit is shown as supported by a bracket secured to bracket 41. Preferably, means are provided for controlling the degree of heat imparted to drum 40 and thus to units 0;. To this end, the heating unit 49 may, for example, include acoil 51, one terminal of which is connected by a wire 52 to a source of electrical energy and the other terminal of which is connected by a wire 53 to one of a series of contacts 54. Between the terminals of coil 51, other wires, as 55, are tapped in at intervals, each leading to a dilferent contact 54. A switch-blade 56 is connected at one end by a wire 57 to the source of electrical energy, and its other end may be moved into engagement with any of the contacts 54, whereby various portions of coil 51 may be rendered active and the degree of heat controlled. Any other analagous means for heating the units a maybe employed as de sired.

In order to apply additional coating material to the confections to be decorated, I provide an arrangemerm, such, for example, as that shown in Figs. 10 and 11, by means of which the pattern members of each unit a'will receive a supply of coating and carry it to the confection. As shown, this arrangement includes va pan 60 supported fromone of the walls of easing A and supplied with coating material by means of a pipe 61 (Fig. 1) leading from the main supply pipe p. An overflow trough 62 (Fig. 11) isprovided .on pan 60 to direct excess coating 'material downwardly between one edge of belt Z and the adjacent frame B, such material being returned to the tank 92-, as will be evident from Fig. 1. Rotatably spaced rolls 63, and similarly mounted 'bethe latter is a roll 64 which is partially submerged in 1 9 Eating material 1n tire assembly of parts carried mounted in-the end; walls of pan 60 are two 63, guides 65, arranged in pairs with one unit 1 i a between each pair, are used in place of the rings 48 heretofore described, but these guides are secured to the sides of pan 60 and are curved to partially encompass their rolls and lie closely adjacent thereto. Preferably, although not necessarily, all the rolls 63 and 64 are driven, as by a chain 66 from the drive roll y for belt Z, as indicated in Fig. 1, each roll 63 and 64 being provided at one end with a sprocket as indicated at 67 in Fig. 11in connection with roll 64.

The heating of the units a may be accomplished in much the same manner as already described in connection with Figs. 17 and 19. Each of the rolls 63 and 64 is made hollow with one end open to receive a heating unit. The heating unit is indicated at 68 and is shown as disposed within roll 64 with an extension protruding through the open end thereof, which extension is supported by a bracket 69 secured to an end wall of pan 60. The heating unit, so applied, serves also to heat the coating material in pan 60 as well as the flexible units a, but it may be moved into either of the rolls 63 or other similar heating units may be similarly applied to either or both rolls 63, if desired. The decorating apparatus may, as shown in Fig. 1, be enclosed, as by a hood C, pivoted to casing A, or.otherwise mounted to permit convenient access'to' the apparatus when desired, and-the'heatfrom the usual heating apparatus providedin casing A may be sufficient to heattheunits'a to thedesired degree for certain kinds of work...

The flexible decorating units a are adjustable longitudinally and transverselyof belt Z as well as toward and away from the belt, and these adjustments may, for example, be effected by shifting the pan- 60 withthe en'- thereby.- To this end, the an- 60 rests upon, and is" slidable longitudinally and transverselyofitwo spaced supporting arms 70." Eacharm has a vertical end extension 61 (seeTig lO) in which is a horizontal slot/72' (Fighll) A 74 onscrew 73 serve to move'it together with pain 60 in either direction longitudinally of arms 70. The slots 721 permit transverse movement of pan 60 on arms 70. This latter movement :is efiected by'a screw 75 which passesthrough a horizontal slot 76 v s vacant 79am threads in o 1 lug 77 depending from pan 60. v Collars 78, fixed to screw 75 and arranged one on each side of arm 70, prevent axial movement of screw 75, but permit the screw to move in slot 76, when pan 60 is moved by screw 73 to effect the longitudinal. adjustment abovedescribed. Each arm is carried by the threaded intermediate portion of a rod 78,

the ends of which are rotatably mounted in I upper and lower spaced lugs 79 on a bracket 80 secured to casing A. A collar 81, fixed to rod 78, abuts the upper lug 79 and prevents vertical movement of the rod in one direction, the weight of parts carried by the rod being suflicient to avoid vertical movement in the other direction. Rotation of rod 78 raises or lowers arms 70 and with it the pan 60 and units a.

With each form of decorating apparatus described, I prefer to provide additional means arranged near the belt Z to guide the flexible units a properly u on the confections b. As an example 0 one means for efl'ecting this result, a cross-bar 85 is secured to and extends between the two frames B, overlying belt Z and disposed in fairly close proximity thereto. This crossbar may desirably pass through the loops formed by units a, as shown in Fig. 1, for by so dol both sides of each loop. may be guided fiy .a single device mounted on the crossbar 85. Mounted on the latter are a series of guides 86, one for each unit a. Each guide is centrally secured to cross-bar 85, as by a small bolt 87 which extends through a longitudinal slot 88 in the crossbar to permit adjustment of the guide transversely of-belt Z. Each end of each guide 86 is forked to provide two spaced fingers between which one unit--w--isuided.

The provision of the gui cs 86 close to the tops of the confections b to be ornamented prevents to a considerable extent lateral movement of the units a, which might otherwise sometimes occur, since these units hang loosely in loop form. It is particularly important where the units a are made up of a series of reticulated pattern members for any one pattern member deposited on a confection, or on belt Z, at an angle from its intended position tends to deflect the other members of the unit out of the path desired.

' The operation of the apparatus in its various forms will be apparent from the foregolng description, and the operation of the apparatus, in the form shown in Fig. 1 only, will be briefly summarized. Confections are supplied to belt k, fed thereby into the machine and transferred to the coating belt I, which carries them under the shower pan m and over the bottoming rolls 1", whereby they are completely coated or enveloped. Continued travel brings the confections in under the nozzle 8, from which issues a blast preferably moved at a linear speed equal, 8

or substantially equal, to that of belt Z, are laid upon the confections in the same manner as described in connection with the method steps. The endless, flexible unit, made up of a series of reticulated patterns, hanging loosely downward and moving in an endless path, are laid'upon the confections much in the same manner as an endless traction belt of a tractor lays itself over the obstructions and inequalities of the ground upon which is travels, and in this sense the series of patterns may be termed self-laying, and the decorations, formed according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, may be said to be produced by endless, self-laying series of pattern members. p

I believe myself to be the first to decorate confections and the like by the method and by the apparatus hereto-fore described, and I desire to claim the same in the broadest possible legal manner.

What I claim is 1. The method of decorating coated confections, which consists in flexibly laying patterns or designs upon the confections while the coating is workable, in allowing the patterns to remain in contact with the confections for a short interval, and in then gradually lifting the patterns to draw out portions of the coating into a decoration.

2. The method of decorating confections after their manufacture has been otherwise completed and while their outer portions are soft enough. to be workable, which consists in engaging the confection near one end with a pattern member, in graduallylaying the member over the confection beginning near said end and continuing toward the opposite end, and in lifting themember first from the first-named end and continuingtoward the second end.

3. The method of decorating confections after their manufacture has been otherwise completed and while their outer portions are soft enough to be workable, which consists in engaging the confection with a portion of a flexible series of pattern members and then laying the members progressively over that part of the confection to be decorated, and in thereafter removing such portion to form the decoration.

4. The method of making decorative tracks in chocolate covered confections which consists in applying a pattern to the confection so that it is progressively engaged with the plastic covering thereof and after substantial engagement lifting the pattern.

5. The method of decorating confections, which consists in gently laying a suitable pattern member upon the confection after its manufacture has been otherwise completed and allowing it to remain thereon without relative movement for a short intervahandin thereafter removing the pattern member to form the decoration and in moving the pattern and the confection the one relatively to the other in a lateral diiection during the removal of said mem- 6. The method of decorating confections while in motion, which consists in laying a pattern member upon the moving confection, while its outer portion is soft and workable, in allowing the latter to remain on the confection without relative movement for a short interval to obtain adherence, and in then lifting the pattern from the confec tion to draw out portions of the confection into an ornamentation.

7. The method of decorating confections while in motion, which consists in laying a pattern member upon the moving confection while its outer portion is soft and workable and without relative motion, when in contact; between the confection and said member with respect to the direction of motion of the former, in allowin said member to remain on the confection terval to obtain adherence and in then lifting the pattern from the confection to draw out portions of the confection into an ornamentation. I

8. The method of decorating confections but while their outer portions are soft enough' to be' workable, which consists in z-so holding'a flexible unit of pattern members "that a loop depends toward the carrier l and into thelpath [of the-confection, and in j moving the'-u11it--in its Sloop pathat 'a linear speed substantially equalito that of the con- 3 fectioncarrier'sO that one 'side of theloop? is laid down upon theconfection-during its travel while the other is lifted therefrom.

1 9. The method of decorating confections while in motion on acarrier' and after their manufaoturehas been otherwise completed but while their outer portions are soft enough to be workable, which consists in so holding a flexible unit pattern member that a loop depends toward the carrier and into the path of the confections in moving the unit in its loop path at a linear speed substantially equal to that of the confection carrier so that one side of the loop is laid down upon the confections during their travel while the other is lifted therefrom, and in heating said unit prior to its engagement with the confections,

or a short in-- 10. The method of decorating coated confections, which consists in gently applying a. pattern to the coating while in a plastic state, in lifting the pattern from the coating after a substantial interval of contact therewith, and in producing a relative lateral movement between the confection and pattern during the removal of the latter.

11. The'method of decorating confections while in a plastic state which consists in rolling out upon the plastic portions of the confections a chain, leaving a portion of the reticulated elements of the chain in engagement with and supported by such portions long enough to leave permanent tracks,

and then rolling the chain off the confections.

12. The method of decorating coated confections which consists in laying a pattern on and in the coating while the latter is in plastic condition, raising the pattern from depth contact with the coating to thereby project a decorative figure in relief from a base corresponding substantially to the regular outline of the pattern in contact, and as said pattern is raised from such contact shifting it in one general transverse direction to thereby pull the decorative figure into a substantially irregular form and progressively offset said form as it rises from its base.

13. The method of decorating confections, which consists in applying coating material to a pattern member, in laying such member upon the confection and allowing it to remain thereupon for a short interval, and in thereafter removing the pattern member to form the decoration.

14. The method of making decorative tracks or patterns on confections which consists in applying plastic material to the track forming means i and then resting "them on the confection step by step and after substantial engagement l with 1 the conf'ection lifting thGztIflCkforming mean 15. Thezmethod ofldecorat ingiconfee ons, w hich' consists" in '-i-'hea-tin'g= a suitable F5 pattern member,- -"in 'applying;coatingunaterial thereto; -inthen 1 laying said 1' member upon the "confection and-allowing it to remain thereon for a short intferval andin thereafter removing the the decoration; i I r 16. The methodof decorating "confections while their outer portions are soft enough to be workable, which consists in so holding a flexible decorating unit as to form a depending loop, in effecting a relative bodily shifting movement between the confection and loop to bring them into engagement and at the same time moving the unit in the path of its loop at a linear speed substantially equal to that of said-first named movement, so that one side of the loop is laid down on the confection during its travel pattern memberto'form while the other is lifted therefrom, and in 'named' movement, so that one side of the loop is laid down on the confection during its travel while the other is lifted therefrom, and in heating said unit and applying coating material to the unit prior to its engagement with the confection.

18. A confection decorating apparatus, comprising, a carrier for the confections, and a eham for decorating the same mounted so that a plurality of its links may rest upon and be temporarily supported by the plastic covering of the confections.

19. A confection decorating apparatus, comprising, a support for the confections, a chain to decorate the same, andmeans to roll the chain on and off the plastic covering of the confections.

20. A confection decorating apparatus, comprising, a support for the con ections, a chain to decorate the same, and means to roll the chain on the plastic covering of the confections so as to have its engaged links supported by such covering and to then roll it off the covering.

21. A device for decorating confections, comprising, a flexible reticulated track or series of pattern members each of which is comparable in Width to the confections, said members adapted to be rolled out upon the confections and then rolled off the confections, and the portion in engagement with the confections arranged to be supported entirely by the confections.

22. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising a support for the confections, a flexible decorating unit comparable in width to that of the confections, a support for the latter from which said um't depends in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections on longitudinal movement of the confections relative to the second support, means to effect said relative movement, and means to move said unit in its loop path.

23. Apparatusfor decorating confections,

comprising a support for the confections, a flexible decorating unit comparable in width to that of the confections, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections on longitudinal movement of the confections relative to'the second support, means to effect said relative movement, means to move said unit in its loop path, and means to heat said unit. a i

24. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising a support for the confections, an endless flexible decorating unit, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections upon longitudinal movement of the confections relative to the second support, means to effect said relative movement, and means to move said unit in a closed loop path.

25. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, a support for the confections, an endless flexible decorating unit, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in loop form into such proximity With the confection support as to engage the confections upon longitudinal movement of the confections relative to the second support, means to effect said relative movement, and means to move said unit in a closed loop path at a linear s eed substantially egual to that of sai relative movement.

\ 26. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, a support for the confections, an endless flexible decorating unit, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in p form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections upon longitudinal movement of the confections relative to the second support, means to effect said relative movement, meansto move said unit in a closed loop path, and means to heat said unit during its travel.

27. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, conveying means for the confections, a flexible decorating element comparable in width to the confections mounted above said means and depending in loop form toward the latter and into such proximit thereto. as to engage the confections durmg their travel, and means to move said element in a loop path.

28. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with conve ing means for the confections, a flexible se f-laying decorating unit mounted to suecessively engage confections during their travel.

29. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with conveying means for the confections, an endless flexible self-laying dc acorating-unit mounted to successively engage confections during their travel.

30. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in'combination with conveying means for the confections, an endless flexible decorating unit movable simultaneously with the conveying means and arranged to successively engage confections during their travel.

31. Apparatus for decorating confections,

comprising in combination with confectionconveying mechanism, rotary means mounted above said mechanism, and an endless flexible decorating unit mounted upon and driven by said means and depending therefrom towardtheconveying mechanism.

32: Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying mechanism, rotary means mounted above said mechanism, and an endless flexible decorating unit mounted upon and driven by said means and depending therefrom toward the conveying mechanism, and means to heat said unit during its travel.

33. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying means, an endless flexible decorat;

. ing unit mounted above said means and de pending toward the latter sufliciently to engage the confections during their travel, and means to move said unit at a linear speed approximately equal to that of said means.

34. Apparatus for decorating confections,

I comprising, in combination with confectionconveylng means, a hollow rotatable element mounted above said means, an endless flexible decorating unit engaging said element and depending toward the conveying means, and heating means -mounted within said element. a

35. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying mechanism, rotary means above said mechanism, a plurality of flexible and endless series of decorating members mounted upon said means and depending therefrom toward the conveyin mechanism, and guiding means associate with the firstnamed means to maintain said members properly spaced transversely of the consupports, means to effect said relative move ment, and means to move sa1d members 1n.

their loop path, said spaced supports being movable the one relatlvely to the other to vary the curvature of the depending loop formed by said members.

37. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, a support for the confections, an endless flexlbly connected series of decorating members each of which is notvarious curvatures, and means to effect a relative longitudinal movement between the confection support and said rolls.

38. In combination with a confection coating machine, a device for making decorative tracks or patterns on the coated confections, comprising, a series of reticulated track making members of small individual area compared to the confections to be decorated but heavy enough to sink into the chocolate when the latter is in a plastic condition for the decorating operation.

39. In combination with a confection coating machine, a device for making decorative tracks or patterns onthe coated confections, comprismg,-a chain, the links of which are heavy enough to sink into the chocolate when in condition for permanent decoration.

40; In combination with a confection coating maehine, a chain for decorating confections, comprising, links heavy enough to sink into the surface of the confections when resting thereon after the confections have been otherwise completely manufactured and while the surface still remains plastic.

41. In combination with a confection coating machine, a chain for decorating confections while passing from a chocolate coating machine, the links of said chain be ing small enough to engage only a portion of the surface to be decorated.

42. A confection decorating apparatus, comprising, a carrier for the confections, a

.chain mounted therein so that a plurality of its links may rest upon and be supported by the confections, and means to apply coating material to said chain prior to itsengagement with the confections.

43. In combination, a chocolate coating machine for confections, a decorating device consisting of'a chain mounted to engage the 'confections only after they have been coated and while the coating is still plastic, and means toroll the chain on the coating so as to be supported by. the confections and then roll the chain off the coating after it has sunk therein sufiicie'ntly to leave. permanent marks of decoration. I

44. Apparatus for decorating confectionery, comprisin a support for the confections, a flexibl decorating unit, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections on longitudinal movement of the con; fections relative to the second support,

means to effect said relative movement, and

means to apply coating material to said unit prior to its engagement with the confections.

45. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, a support for the confections, an endless flexible decorating unit, a support for the latter from which said unit depends in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections upon longitudinal movement of the confections relative to the second support, means to effectv said relative movement, means to move said unit in a closed loop path, and means to apply coating material to said unit during its travel and prior to its engagement with the confections.

46. In combination, means to coat confections, conveying means therefor, and a flexible series of self-laying pattern members mounted to engage the confections only after they have been coated and while their coating is soft enough to be workable.

47. In combination, means to coat confections, conveying means therefor, a flexible series of self-laying pattern members each comparable in width to the confections mounted to engage the coated confections while their coating is soft enough to be workable, and means to apply additional coating material to said members.

48. In combination, means to coat confections, conveying means therefor, a flexible series of self-laying pattern members each comparable in width to the confections mountedv to engage the coated confections while their coating is soft enough to be workable, and means to heat the pattern members. i

49. In combination, confection-conveying means, means to coat the confections while on said means, a series offlexible decorating units mounted to engage the freshly coated confections while on said means, and means for aligning the coated confections with said units.

50. In combination, confection-conveying means, means to coat the confections while on said means, and a series of endless chains movable with the conveying means and mounted in such proximity thereto as to engage the freshly coated confections during their travel.

51. In combination, confection-conveying means, means to coat the confections while on said means, and a series of endless chains movable simultaneously with the conveying ble decorating unit engaging and driven by said element and depending toward the conveying means, and means to supply coating material to said unit prior to its engagement with the confections.

53. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying means, a rotatable element mounted above said means, an endless flexible unit mounted upon said element and depending therefrom toward said means, a receptacle for coating material, and guiding means to direct said unit into said receptacle.

54. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confection-conveying means, a flexible decorating unit of a width comparable to that of the confections mounted to present a depending loop in the path of the confections, and means for moving said unit toward and away from said means to vary the proximity of said loop thereto.

55. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confection-conveying means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to present a depending loop in the path of'the confections, and means for moving said unit transversely of said means for alining it with the path of travel of the confections.

56. In combination, confection-conveying means, means for coating the confections carried by said means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to present a depending loop in the path of the confections,and means for moving said unit toward and away from said coating means.

57. Apparatus for decorating confections,

comprising, confection-conveying means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to present a depending loop in the path of the confections, and means for moving said unit lonveying means to direct said unit upon the confections.

59. Apparatus for decorating confections,

comprising, confection-conveylng means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to present a loop portion depending into proximity to said means and in the path of the confections, means to move said unit in its loop path, and means arranged near the conveying means for preventing any substantial sidewise movement of the loop.

60. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confection-conveying means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to present a loop portion depending into proximity to said means and in the path of the conrections, means togmove said unit in its loop path, and means adjustable transversely of and arranged near the conveying means for preventing any substantial sidewise movement of the loop.

61. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confection-conveying means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to travel downwardly toward and into close proximity to the conveying means and then upwardly away from the latter, and guiding means arranged close to the conveying means to direct said unit in its downward travel.

62. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confection-conveying means, :i flexible decorating unit mounted to travel downwardly toward and into close proximity to the conveying means and then upwardly away from the latter, and guiding means arranged close to the conveying means to direct said unit in its upward travel.

63. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, confectionsconveying means, a flexible decorating unit mounted to travel downwardly toward and into close proximity to the conveying means and then upwardly away from the latter, and guiding means arranged close to the conveying means to direct said unit in its downward and upward travel.

64. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying means, a rotatable element above said means, a series of endless flexible'decorating units mounted upon said element and depending therefrom toward the conveying means, and means for moving said element toward and away from the conveying means.

65. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying means, a rotatable element above said means, a series of endless flexible decorating units mounted upon said element and depending therefrom toward the conveying means, and means for moving said element longitudinally of the conveying means.

66. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, in combination with confectionconveying means, a rotatable element above said means, a series of endless flexible decorating units mounted upon said element and depending therefrom toward the conveying means, and means for moving said element transversely of the conveying means.

67. Apparatus for decorating confections, comprising, a support for the confections, a plurality of series of flexibly connected decorating members, supporting means therefor from which said members depend in loop form into such proximity with the confection support as to engage the confections on longitudinal movement of the latter relative to said supporting means, means to effect said relative movement, means to move said members in their loop path, whereby some of said members will be brought into contact with the confections for an interval during said relative movement, and means for effecting variations of said contact interval.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALONZO LINTON BAUSMAN. 

